Stephanie Otis
September 11th, 2013
EDC 102H – Dr. Fogleman
Personal Expertise Statement
Gymnastics
To be an expert in a subject does not mean you are all-knowing. Similarly, to be an expert in a skill does not mean you have completely mastered the skill. To label yourself an expert is deceiving because I think there is always room for growth and improvement. In my opinion, to be an expert simply means that you show exemplary knowledge, dedication, passion, and/or talent towards a given subject or skill -- whether it is solving math equations, baking chocolate chip cookies, or playing soccer. In my eighteen years thus far, I am proud to say that I have developed a personal expertise in a beautiful sport: gymnastics.
My parents have told me that my passion for gymnastics started at a very young age. Every day they brought me and my twin sister to Look Park, a beautiful family park fifteen minutes from my house. Before I was old enough to remember going to the playground, I was rolling around on the grass and begging to swing on the monkey bars. My first memories at the playground include swinging from monkey bar to monkey bar, flipping all around on the single bar, and attempting rough cartwheels and forward rolls on the grass. From there, I entered pre-school and my parents enrolled me in a recreational gymnastics class at our local YMCA. Every Tuesday and Thursday I excitedly wore my pink leotard to class. I loved it! I continued the classes until the instructor invited me to attend the Team Training Summer Camp in the summer going into third grade.
Although the Training Camp was intense, it made me realize I was meant to be a gymnast. I loved the sport and many aspects of it came natural to me, although there were definitely some that I had to work extra hard at (shoulder flexibility!). In the fall of third grade, I tried out for their competitive gymnastics team. After making the team and being placed as a level three, I developed a true personal expertise in the sport.I looked up to the older gymnasts on the team, and would often study their routines. They were my role models, although I could never imagine myself in their shoes. I spent eight years competing gymnastics for the YMCA, eventually making it to the top level and becoming a role model to our young team. Every night I held my splits while doing homework or watching television. Every weekend was spent at competitions. Every summer was spent at training camp. The team felt like family and my coach became my second mother, offering me guidance way past the sport of gymnastics. The gym became a place where I could just let go. As cliché as it sounds, nothing else mattered when I was there. The mental game held such a stronger presence than the physical components. As I moved up in levels, I was constantly working through mental blocks and fears. While this was very challenging, it developed me as a person and taught me perseverance. As I grew older, the Balance Beam became my favorite event. I found such beauty in the sport and such appreciation for detail. Gymnastics developed me into a stronger person, both physically and mentally. I believe it was a combination of the many hours I spent in the gym and in dance class each week, my wonderful coaching staff, my natural talent, and my love for the sport that contributed to developing gymnastics as an area of personal expertise.
Unfortunately, due to a back injury, I was forced to stop gymnastics going into my junior year. Determined to keep the beauty of the sport in my life, I accepted the job offer from my coach to be a recreational class instructor for children aging from eighteen months to thirteen years old. This job meant so much to me because it gave me the opportunity to keep gymnastics in my life and the power to positively influence children’s lives, whether they intend to pursue gymnastics further or not. Through my two and a half years as a class instructor at the YMCA, my knowledge of the sport has grown larger than I ever thought it could. Learning as you go and learning from others are the two main ways I further developed as an expert. Hands on experience, my co-workers’ knowledge, and many training clinics all contributed to the growth of my personal expertise. In addition to being able to perform the skills, I actually understand the mechanics and techniques of the sport. As a coach, I had to look at the sport in a different way. I had to learn how to look at gymnastics critically. Cause and effect reasoning became well known to me, which deepened my personal expertise to an area I never knew it could go. I learned how interconnected each shape and each skill is. I realized how vital drills and conditioning are and how important each progressive step is towards any one skill. It all made me understand the process of growth much better. Can I still grow as an instructor? Absolutely. Regardless, gymnastics has had a strong presence in my life since I was old enough to remember. And for that, I am very grateful to call it an area of personal expertise.
I look forward to continuing my coaching career, whether it is at a new gym in Rhode Island or back at my old gym when I am home on breaks. Regardless of where, I would like to be able to provide children with the opportunity to experience the wonderful sport of gymnastics and give them a start to possibly developing gymnastics as their own area of expertise as they grow up. Additionally, being a gymnastics instructor has taught me how to most effectively teach children and how to approach topics in different ways to fit the needs of the whole group. Even in a group class setting, I learned you must get to understand each child and teach to the individual in whatever way works best for them. Although I do not intend to pursue a career in the sport, this area of personal expertise has given me important skills that will help me in my future occupation, an early-childhood speech pathologist.
September 11th, 2013
EDC 102H – Dr. Fogleman
Personal Expertise Statement
Gymnastics
To be an expert in a subject does not mean you are all-knowing. Similarly, to be an expert in a skill does not mean you have completely mastered the skill. To label yourself an expert is deceiving because I think there is always room for growth and improvement. In my opinion, to be an expert simply means that you show exemplary knowledge, dedication, passion, and/or talent towards a given subject or skill -- whether it is solving math equations, baking chocolate chip cookies, or playing soccer. In my eighteen years thus far, I am proud to say that I have developed a personal expertise in a beautiful sport: gymnastics.
My parents have told me that my passion for gymnastics started at a very young age. Every day they brought me and my twin sister to Look Park, a beautiful family park fifteen minutes from my house. Before I was old enough to remember going to the playground, I was rolling around on the grass and begging to swing on the monkey bars. My first memories at the playground include swinging from monkey bar to monkey bar, flipping all around on the single bar, and attempting rough cartwheels and forward rolls on the grass. From there, I entered pre-school and my parents enrolled me in a recreational gymnastics class at our local YMCA. Every Tuesday and Thursday I excitedly wore my pink leotard to class. I loved it! I continued the classes until the instructor invited me to attend the Team Training Summer Camp in the summer going into third grade.
Although the Training Camp was intense, it made me realize I was meant to be a gymnast. I loved the sport and many aspects of it came natural to me, although there were definitely some that I had to work extra hard at (shoulder flexibility!). In the fall of third grade, I tried out for their competitive gymnastics team. After making the team and being placed as a level three, I developed a true personal expertise in the sport. I looked up to the older gymnasts on the team, and would often study their routines. They were my role models, although I could never imagine myself in their shoes. I spent eight years competing gymnastics for the YMCA, eventually making it to the top level and becoming a role model to our young team. Every night I held my splits while doing homework or watching television. Every weekend was spent at competitions. Every summer was spent at training camp. The team felt like family and my coach became my second mother, offering me guidance way past the sport of gymnastics. The gym became a place where I could just let go. As cliché as it sounds, nothing else mattered when I was there. The mental game held such a stronger presence than the physical components. As I moved up in levels, I was constantly working through mental blocks and fears. While this was very challenging, it developed me as a person and taught me perseverance. As I grew older, the Balance Beam became my favorite event. I found such beauty in the sport and such appreciation for detail. Gymnastics developed me into a stronger person, both physically and mentally. I believe it was a combination of the many hours I spent in the gym and in dance class each week, my wonderful coaching staff, my natural talent, and my love for the sport that contributed to developing gymnastics as an area of personal expertise.
Unfortunately, due to a back injury, I was forced to stop gymnastics going into my junior year. Determined to keep the beauty of the sport in my life, I accepted the job offer from my coach to be a recreational class instructor for children aging from eighteen months to thirteen years old. This job meant so much to me because it gave me the opportunity to keep gymnastics in my life and the power to positively influence children’s lives, whether they intend to pursue gymnastics further or not. Through my two and a half years as a class instructor at the YMCA, my knowledge of the sport has grown larger than I ever thought it could. Learning as you go and learning from others are the two main ways I further developed as an expert. Hands on experience, my co-workers’ knowledge, and many training clinics all contributed to the growth of my personal expertise. In addition to being able to perform the skills, I actually understand the mechanics and techniques of the sport. As a coach, I had to look at the sport in a different way. I had to learn how to look at gymnastics critically. Cause and effect reasoning became well known to me, which deepened my personal expertise to an area I never knew it could go. I learned how interconnected each shape and each skill is. I realized how vital drills and conditioning are and how important each progressive step is towards any one skill. It all made me understand the process of growth much better. Can I still grow as an instructor? Absolutely. Regardless, gymnastics has had a strong presence in my life since I was old enough to remember. And for that, I am very grateful to call it an area of personal expertise.
I look forward to continuing my coaching career, whether it is at a new gym in Rhode Island or back at my old gym when I am home on breaks. Regardless of where, I would like to be able to provide children with the opportunity to experience the wonderful sport of gymnastics and give them a start to possibly developing gymnastics as their own area of expertise as they grow up. Additionally, being a gymnastics instructor has taught me how to most effectively teach children and how to approach topics in different ways to fit the needs of the whole group. Even in a group class setting, I learned you must get to understand each child and teach to the individual in whatever way works best for them. Although I do not intend to pursue a career in the sport, this area of personal expertise has given me important skills that will help me in my future occupation, an early-childhood speech pathologist.